Amateur needing lots of feedback :P

[ksven]

ohhh. im so confused when the scanning comes in. Yeah, all im doing is just putting them on and scanning. believe it or not, these were better scanned then when I first did it. But they still lost a lot. i have a photo editor, i just dont like altering film. im using a lexmark everyday scanner. nothing fancy. How would i scan them better? any ideas im completley dull when it comes to this, but im learning. :]

 

[Battou]

ohhh. im so confused when the scanning comes in. Yeah, all im doing is just putting them on and scanning. believe it or not, these were better scanned then when I first did it. But they still lost a lot. i have a photo editor, i just dont like altering film. im using a lexmark everyday scanner. nothing fancy. How would i scan them better? any ideas im completley dull when it comes to this, but im learning. :]

I'm the same way, I don't like altering my pictures either but when using a consumergrade flatbed scanner you are loosing color due to the glass, this is why they look as faded as they do.

Using photoediting software to to match or get as close as possible to the print does not count as altering merely making it more accurate.

There is a better way to scan but I get the impression you are not redy to spring for a film capible scanner, so what you could do is use to editing software you have and try to best match the print for right now, and you can look into improving scanners later on. With a more accurate representation of what you are holding in your hand print wise people will be better able to help correct the issues.

Depending on what software you have will likely determine who helps too so, what photo editer do you have?

I know so many questions with so few answers but kinda sorta need these things to be of the most use.

*EDIT*
I am predominately film and went threw a lot of this my self, as I am sure a good handfull of others have as well.

When I come in to work later tonight I'll show you the difference and just how the scanner is effecting what we see.

 

[LaFoto]

Oh, how I know about the flaws of flatbed scanners. My newest one (over 3 years old) is even equipped with a negative and slide scanning device, but has long lost its ability to properly scan negatives, and also its scanning prints is questionable, to put it mildly.

So anytime I prepare analog photos for web-presentation (i.e. digitalise them), I have to work on them with post processing software so they come AT LEAST close to what the print looks like. (I know, of course, that also the way the PRINT looks is the big lab's "interpretation" done by their automated printing).

Anyhow, what I mean to say is: when you digitalise your analog photos, you have to work on them in PP. An example for my own difficulties and frustrations can be found in this_old_thread_of_mine (in case you are interested, it is a longer read).

 

[That One Guy]

I wasn't trying to be harsh by saying you would be at a disadvantage by using film. I just meant that the benefit of the instant report that digital offers can help quite a bit when you are first learning.

I still shoot film and have no plans of stopping any time soon.

As far as scanning goes......does your local lab offer photos on CD? they will turn out better than using a flatbed scanner.

 

[ksven]

Battou: The photo editor I have is called ulead. came with an older camera I had, and its pretty good. I mean, its nowhere near photoshop or anything but its decent.

 

[rob91]

I'm really diggin your style. #2 especially, green sky, dark branches and some sweet grain. It has a great mood. I have no idea what that really fuzzy one is, looks like a dog?

Your most recent one reminds me of a horror film. Maybe the Blair Witch Project.

Great stuff, keep shooting.

 

[ksven]

I'm really diggin your style. #2 especially, green sky, dark branches and some sweet grain. It has a great mood. I have no idea what that really fuzzy one is, looks like a dog?

Your most recent one reminds me of a horror film. Maybe the Blair Witch Project.

Great stuff, keep shooting.

Hah. The fuzzy one isnt a dog. Its an insence burning, and the smoke was all captured like that. Long shutter speed captured it. I retook it on another roll more stable. But I havnt developed it. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Happy Hour]

Ok from what I see in your pictures do not go and buy another lens yet! buy a book called Understanding exposure By Bryan Peterson. I can garuntee you that your pictures will improve 200% after reading this relatively short book I read it in one night! but a monkey can understand his mistakes after reading this book. It not only shows you how to adjust for your shot the right way, it gives you pictures as references,and even Projects to do along with the book!!! The author also has 3 other books that are all great as well!! I was Talking to the editor yesterday and he advised me not to even bother with his book understanding digital, for it is already outdated! but from what I see in your pics it is a very simple solution and that all has to do with understanding exposure!best of luck!

 

[Battou]

As far as scanning goes......does your local lab offer photos on CD? they will turn out better than using a flatbed scanner.

That is a double edged sword, sharp enough to the point of saying it's a bad idea. Most places that offer the Photo CD only offer it in the higher processing options (I.E. Kodak Perfect Touch and what not). With these processes the processors literally go threw and compensate and/or correct issues in exposure. Wile yes they will provide a very good digitalization of ones photo the corrections that have been done completely negate the possibility of finding and correcting the issues the one behind the camera is making.

In other words you can't fix it if you don't know it's broken. If one just wants nice prints for family memories that is fine, but for anyone wanting to learn the camera and the facets of photography for internet display, their best bet is to go with standard prints and digitalize the images them selves and learn from some bad looking prints.

Battou: The photo editor I have is called ulead. came with an older camera I had, and its pretty good. I mean, its nowhere near photoshop or anything but its decent.

Oh dear, I've never even heard of it, let alone using it. Not knowing the software I can't be of much help in that department.

But as promised here is the picture I said I would bring.

One was scanned with a Canon dedicated film scanner and the other the print placed in my HP all in one and scanned. Both images have been left as they came out of the scanner with the exception of the resize, That was done by PB's autoresizer (in other words I never opened them in editing software).

Film scan

Print scan

Digital pic of print

These demonstrate the difference between the two types of scanning, as you can see there is no way for me to make this one hundred percent accurate to what I actually captured but I can try to get it very close to the print itself with some saturation and maybe some unsharp masking, atleast for the subject. Knowing the drawback to a consumer grade flatbed scanner is going to be of great use to you at the time being though. Now that you know there is a difference basically you are going to have to hold the print up to the monitor and work the image as close as possible to it by visual comparison. You can get by this way until you are ready, serious enough or have the money to spend the money on a scanner equipped with a negative and slide scanning device or even a dedicated film/slide scanner.

This image also shows something you are going to want to know, commercial print labs tend to print to a medium grey instead of black at times, thoroughly blowing out the sky, but not always, it depends on who is running the machine.




As That One Guy, SierraBravo and Happy Hour all said Pick up that book and don't let these minor setbacks get you down, we have all gone threw the process of incorrect exposures....any one who says otherwise is a lying pile of auto settings.

 

[LaFoto]

scanned with a Canon dedicated film scanner

Oh. Wow!
I want one. NOW!
That might make me use the Leica more, and also use film more... wow! The scan is goooooooood!

Sorry, ksven, this has nothing to do with your thread, but I needed to get this off my chest.

 

[Battou]

Oh. Wow!
I want one. NOW!
That might make me use the Leica more, and also use film more... wow! The scan is goooooooood!

Sorry, ksven, this has nothing to do with your thread, but I needed to get this off my chest.

Yeah and think of this.....Mine is fairly mediokre and got mixed reviews and has issues in comparison to some of the scanners I have seen in use around here. But it's compatible with my OS at home one of the first ones I found that was.


http://photosig.pcphotoreview.com/c...rs/film-scanners/canon/PRD_84539_3126crx.aspx

 

[ksven]

Well thanks again guys. I'll look into getting one after I figure out the camera settings and such first.

Thanks again :]

 

[ksven]

Ok from what I see in your pictures do not go and buy another lens yet! buy a book called Understanding exposure By Bryan Peterson. I can garuntee you that your pictures will improve 200% after reading this relatively short book I read it in one night! but a monkey can understand his mistakes after reading this book. It not only shows you how to adjust for your shot the right way, it gives you pictures as references,and even Projects to do along with the book!!! The author also has 3 other books that are all great as well!! I was Talking to the editor yesterday and he advised me not to even bother with his book understanding digital, for it is already outdated! but from what I see in your pics it is a very simple solution and that all has to do with understanding exposure!best of luck!

Okay. I ordered this book from walmart.com just about a half hour ago. I'll let you guys know what I think after I read it.
Im excited, hah. Thanks again everybody. All your comments have given me a lot of inspiration to keep going and work through the bumps.

 

[That One Guy]

Okay. I ordered this book from walmart.com just about a half hour ago. I'll let you guys know what I think after I read it.
Im excited, hah. Thanks again everybody. All your comments have given me a lot of inspiration to keep going and work through the bumps.

you are welcome! i still have bumps so don't worry about it. no one takes perfect pictures all of the time and if they say they do they are full of s#@!

keep shooting......

 

[Happy Hour]

Okay. I ordered this book from walmart.com just about a half hour ago. I'll let you guys know what I think after I read it.
Im excited, hah. Thanks again everybody. All your comments have given me a lot of inspiration to keep going and work through the bumps.

just keep practicing! The more you shoot the better you get! and don't worry about any screwup! We all have them, and some of them turn out to be a better pic than you were looking for in the first place.good luck and have fun reading your new book